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Date with glamour MC indifference irks city residents
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Photos speak saga of freedom struggle
Phagwara bus stand in bad shape From Schools and Colleges
Kapurthala Shalimar Bagh
a picture of neglect
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Date with glamour
It was a celebrity-suffused week for the city. Smart and spirited Ms India-World, 2005, Sindhura Gadde and ethereally beautiful actor-model Lisa Ray wowed the city folks with their charm. In a no-holds-barred tête-à-tête with Minna Zutshi, these glamorous women share some interesting nuggets. Who’s the real you? Sindhura:
I think my aspirations, my interests and my upbringing make the real me. The limelight, the attention I receive is just an add-on. But the experiences that I keep gathering in my professional life are intensely enhancing. The other day at Hyderabad I came across a physically challenged boy who was amazingly independent and he oozed love for life. Lisa:
I am a model, actor and brand ambassador. I am a daughter of Bengali father and Polish mother. I am all of these and yet none of these at some level. My work takes me across different countries. So, I am bit of a globetrotter, too. I believe that each passing year enriches me. What bowls you over? Sindhura:
Punjabi hospitality! Though I am from Andhra Pradesh and I have spent quite a few years in New Zealand, there’s nothing to match Punjabi warmth. Punjabi cuisines, too, lift your sagging spirits. Lisa:
I guess the typical Punjabi chutzpah and warmth are astonishing. Punjabis are affectionate to the core. I feel like an honorary Punjabi, though weather here is bit hot for my comfort. Does Bollywood beckon you? Sindhura:
As of now, I am busy with my Miss World Contest. I can’t be sure about future, but movies definitely are not my priority at this stage. Lisa: Most of the time, I am not in India. Though I have been receiving offers from Bollywood directors off and on, right now I am not doing any Bollywood movie. Do glamorous innings thrive on casting couch and underworld connections? Sindhura:
Casting couch is not the downside of glamour world only. Even other fields have it in some form or the other. But I believe casting couch exists between two mutually consenting individuals; there’s no element of coercion in it. Lisa:
I have been away for too long from Bollywood to comment on this. If you ask me about Salman Khan controversy, again I feel I am ill equipped to say anything about it, except that Salman is a bit of a charmer! But I would like to add that Indian movies are quickies like popcorn and not complete packages like a good Punjabi meal! Your favourite projects. Sindhura:
My focus is on Miss World. It’s not a cakewalk. My whole being is Miss World driven these days. Soon, I will have experts working on my diction, voice modulation, diet, physical fitness and skin. Lisa:
I have done Bollywood Hollywood and Kasoor flicks. My role as a young widow in Deepa Mehta’s Water has been very engrossing. It’s a movie in the tradition of Satyajit Ray. Women directors have a different zone of sensibility. Deepa opens new channels of communication. The comfort level I share with her is extraordinary. Beauty, these days, is akin to assembly line production. Your comment. Sindhura:
You are right. But there’s a positive side to it. In my own case, I feel I have metamorphosed as a person post-Miss-India. My confidence has soared, I speak out my mind more openly and my charity work (I was already into it) has received a boost. Lisa: Even in glamour world, there are many other essential qualifications apart from looks. If you are an actor, you have to get into the skin of the character. Glamour and age make uneasy friends. Do you agree? Sindhura:
Glamour-oriented professions have a short shelf life. I can’t go on doing ramp shows for years together. Lisa:
The older you get, the more comfortable you are with your own self. You know yourself better. You start making creative choices. It’s sad to see people give a negative spin to aging. Five years down the line, where would you find yourself? Sindhura:
I might go back to medical field after a decade or so. I have a degree in pharmacology and physiology, and I don’t want to let it go waste. Lisa:
It’s not easy to say. But my dream is to write a novel. I had taken a shot at creative writing earlier also. I had written for some Indian publications.
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MC indifference
irks city residents Over 35000 residents of about five residential colonies situated near Maqsoodan area and Amritsar bypass here are being forced to live in miserable conditions, thanks to the local municipal corporation authorities. The authorities have failed to construct new roads for the past more than one decade. Dusty, potholed, bumpy roads that cut through these colonies make them more a picture of slum than a developed area. The indifference of the Municipal Corporation Jalandhar (MCJ) authorities can be judged from the fact that they have even failed to prepare estimates for the road construction projects in these colonies. To add to the woes of the residents, the authorities concerned have failed to make arrangements for proper storage and regular lifting of garbage from these colonies. Foul smell keeps emanating from heaps of garbage, particularly during rains. These dumps are also a breeding place for various types of insects. During a visit to the affected colonies by The Tribune team, it was found that scores of residential colonies had developed, most of these in an unauthorised manner. These colonies have been sans the basic civic amenities for the past more than one decade. These colonies include Friends Colony, Kalia Colony, Hukam Chand Colony, Moti Nagar, Guru Amardass Nagar and Sham Nagar. The situation worsens during rainy season. There is no proper drainage system for the exit of rainwater. The majority of the lanes and the main road get converted into a temporary pond during rains. “I have been living here for the past over 15 years. This place is totally bereft of civic amenities. The authorities concerned have turned a blind eye towards our problems. The roads are yet to be laid. Bad roads pose a serious health risk to the residents. Those prone to neck and back problems are affected the most,” Mr Brij Kishore Sahni, a resident of Friends Colony tells us in anguish. “Though we submitted several memorandums to the corporation authorities in the past, every time it was told to us that funds for construction of new roads could not be allocated since these colonies were carved out of agricultural land in an unauthorised manner. What is our fault? We had paid full amount to the property dealer for the purchase of the plots?” asks Mr Goldy, a resident of Moti Nagar locality. The residents of Hukam Chand Colony alleged that the civic authorities were least concerned about constructing roads in their locality, despite assurances. Mr Kishan Dev Bhandari, leader of Opposition in the MCJ, alleged that though during the past two years, the MCJ authorities had spent crores of rupees in laying new roads approaching Dhaliwal village, residence of the Punjab Local Bodies Minister, Choudhary Jagjit Singh, they had failed to take notice of the problems of these colonies for years together.
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Photos
speak saga of freedom struggle The Virsa Vihar at Kapurthala has got a befitting gift from Mr Sita Ram Bansal in the shape of rare collection of photographs of freedom fighters. Many of these freedom fighters had given up their lives at the altar of the freedom struggle. Mr Bansal, who is a teacher at Jawahar Navodaya Vidayala, Masitaan, Kapurthala, had collected these photographs during his four-year research work on the history of Independence struggle. On the initiative of Mr Samir Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Kapurthala, and SDM Tarlochan Singh Bhatti of Sultanpur Lodhi, the collection by Mr Bansal has been exhibited in the lobby of the Virsa Vihar so that youngsters who visit there can have glimpses of the heroes of the freedom struggle. The exhibition consists of photographs of revolutionaries from different parties who opposed the British from 1857 till the independence in 1947. One section of the exhibition is devoted to the revolutionaries of the First War of Independence in 1857. Photograph of Bhai Maharaj Singh, the first revolutionary of Punjab who offered resistance after the defeat of Sikhs at the hands of the British and was exiled as state prisoner after which he died in 1856 in Singapore Jail, is also exhibited. Photographs of other revolutionaries like Mangal Pandey, Sham Singh Attariwala, Miyan Ram Singh Pathania, Deewan Mool Raj and Vasudev Balwant Phadke also grace the place. In the section on Kooka revolutionaries, photographs of Satguru Ram Singh Ji who died in jail in1885 can also be seen. The exhibition is a virtual who’s who of freedom fighters. Photograph of Madam Bhikaji Cama, who established her headquarter in Paris and unfurled the flag of India on August 22, 1907, at Stuttgart, Germany, for the first time has also been displayed. The photographs of activists of Farmer Movement include those of Khudi Ram Bose who was hanged on August 11,1908, at the age of 19, Madan Lal Dhingra who was hanged in London and S. Ajit Singh, uncle of Bhagat Singh, who died on August 15,1947, at Dalhousie. The story of Kamagata Maru incident in which the British killed 18 Punjabis is also exhibited through the photographs. The Ghadar revolutionaries have got the maximum space, as 39 photographs out of the total 194 photographs in the exhibition are of the Ghadar revolutionaries. These include the photos of Kartar Singh Sarabha, Jagat Singh, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, Raash Bihari Bose and Ghadari Baba Harnam Singh Kala Sanghia. The Ghadar Party was formed in March 1913. The photograph of Gulab Kaur, who reached India in 1914 from Philippines and participated in the activities of the Ghadar Party, can also be seen. In the Bengali revolutionaries section, Aurobindo Ghosh, Baal Gangadhar Tilak and the glimpses of the Daandi March are on display. The most tragic photographs depicting the firing on 41 soldiers after they were arrested on the charges of mutiny are also shown. All four available photographs of Chander Shekhar Azad are on display in this exhibition, says Mr Bansal. The photos of Rajguru, Sukhdev, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt are also included in the exhibition. The last photographs of Subhash Chander Bose in which he is shown alighting from an aircraft are also included in the exhibition. Udham Singh’s photograph along with the death certificate dated July 31, 1940, when he was hanged in a London jail is displayed here. So are the death warrant of Bhagat Singh and the death certificates of Bhagat Singh and Madan Lal Dheengra.
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Phagwara
bus stand in bad shape
The bus stand at Phagwara stands out as a sore thumb. It is located at the prime place, but is in the poorest condition.
Phagwara bus stand links this industrial hub of Doaba with Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Nawanshahr-Ropar-Chandigarh, Nakodar, Hoshiarpur. The sobriquet of “Manchester of Doaba” for Phagwara and the dilapidated bus stand don’t go well together. This bus stand is perhaps the dirtiest and the most ramshackle bus stand of Punjab situated on the National Highway No1. A downpour turns it into a lake! A drizzle makes a pond there. “Buses have to wade through the water. It is a jerky ride for passengers. Sometimes, the passengers bump their head onto the rooftop of the bus,” says a regular commuter. After the rainstorm, slush, stink and squalor greet you. Smelly toilets get smellier. There are about one-foot deep and hugely wide ditches. These pits further damage the already rickety roadways buses, play havoc with tyres, besides giving pendulum-like swings to passengers. In the middle of the bus stand, is a “crater” about five-foot deep, twenty-foot long and ten-foot wide. It appears as if it has been created by the fall of a comet! It has been learnt that the PRTC ran a diesel pump at this place. The outlet was closed a few months ago, the underground diesel tank dug out and removed. No one bothered to fill the gaping “crater” created in this process. The present exit at the bus stand is a headache for everyone. In their bid to get the passengers first, private transport buses keep blocking the exit gate. The buzzing buses move one inch backward and one inch forward. If at all these buses leave the exit gate, they stop on the GT Road. There is no proper shelter for passengers. Neither is there any provision for clean drinking water. The number of toilets is very less. Hygiene is the major casualty. Transport employees Harwinder Singh, Chaman Lal, Harjinder Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Devinder Singh, while talking to this correspondent, pleaded for staff room equipped with drinking water and refreshment facilities. The stalls selling cold drinks and eatables are models of insanitation. Interestingly, the bus stand gives handsome revenue to the PRTC. According to estimates, about two thousand buses pass through it daily. An income of about Rs 35,000-38,000, mostly in the form of “adda” fee, is earned daily. It also includes some amount from rent of stalls. Councillor Manmohan Sharma told Jalandhar Plus that the bus stand was built at its present 18-kanal prime site on the GT Road in the heart of city in1966-67. The bus stand is run by the PRTC. The good news is that there is a plan to modernise it. It is learnt that Rs 2 crore are to be spent on its modernisation. A design for it has also been approved. Tenders have already been invited. But sources say that the design is giving sleepless nights to encroachers. While it provides for entry of buses from the GT Road, the exit point, as per the plan, is from the Maal Godaam Road. This road is crowded with mushrooming squatters, shops, stalls, vendors and commercial establishments on both sides. The encroachers are reportedly not happy with the arrangement as per the new design. A few encroachers wield political clout, it is learnt. This could create problems for the proposed new bus stand, it is learnt. When contacted, the bus stand inspector Bakhshi Ram disclosed that notices had been sent to shopkeepers and squatters to vacate the land.
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From Schools and Colleges In an effort to improve the communication skills of its students from the very beginning, a reading week was organised for students of Pre-Nursery to Class VI at Eklavya School from Monday to Wednesday. Different activities were planned for different age groups. Children of Classes Pre-Nursery and Nursery were given colourful pictures, which they tried to comprehend and explain. They were also given cutouts from the story “Lion and the mouse”, which they had to put in correct sequence and narrate the story. Kids from LKG and UKG had more challenging activities to do. They were given pictures of animals. They were given a few minutes to think about the animal and then they had to make their own story. The UKG students were given two identical pictures and were asked to point out the minute differences. Reading was emphasised for all three languages, including English, Punjabi and Hindi, for higher classes. Voracious readers were awarded with “Reading week” badges in the assembly. Foundation day The management, staff and students of MGN Public School, Urban Estate-Phase II, held the first foundation day celebrations in the school on Saturday. Akhand path was organised, following which kirtan and ardas were held in which students and teachers participated with enthusiasm. Later, everyone got a chance to partake of langar. Mr Jarnail Singh Pasricha, secretary of the MGN Educational Trust, and Ms Gursharan Kaur, Principal of the MGN College of Education, were also present on the occasion. Merit certificate Shweta Rao, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1, Jalandhar Cantonment, has been awarded merit certificate by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for scoring 99 per cent in science subject in matriculation examination conducted this year. She had stood first in her school in the board examination by scoring 95.2 per cent. Ajay Chauhan, a Class XII student, had got 85.8 per cent in science stream. Welcome After one-and-a-half month summer break, students were given a warm welcome in the primary wing of Apeejay School on Monday. The school presented a new look when the students rejoined it after vacation. The students seemed to be enthusiastic on rejoining the school. Placement week Lovely Institutes organised a placement week on the campus, wherein members of the Ludhiana Stock Exchange apprised them about the working in stock market and the latest reforms in finance sector. Mr H.S. Sidhu, Executive Director, and Mr Jagjit Singh Arneja, Training Manager, visited the campus and said that the training and internship with the LSE could give students a good opportunity about present scenario in financial market. They talked about the latest changes such as mergers, acquisition and price volatility in stock market. Mr Ashok Mittal, Director, took the LSE members around the campus and thanked them for their visit. Donation The Sant Baba Bhag Singh Memorial Charitable Society
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Talent
unplugged at Summer Fest The Summer Festival organised by the Vajra Corps at Jalandhar Cantt has been a much-awaited event for the young, smart wards of army personnel who are busy showcasing their talent in the fest. However, rain played the spoilsport on Wednesday evening. The semi-final rounds for fashion and modelling that were to begin at 7:30 pm fauji time could not be held for almost another 75 minutes as it had started drizzling. The stage was arranged in the open grounds of the Vajra Officers’ Institute (VOI). Finally, the guests, including senior army officers and their wives, arrived and the function took off. The function began with a traditional round for children above eight years of age. The amateur models sashayed on the ramp confidently with most girls decked up in sarees, lehngas or suits, while boys came in achkans, dhotis or kurta pyjamas. Interestingly, kids contesting in age group below eight years performed even better. They were beaming with confidence as they came up on the stage. The audience gave a thumping response as a cute boy bent down on his knees to kiss a little girl he had paired up with. Then there were rounds for sportswear and finally the contestants came up in their casual or formal best in the last round. Various rounds were interspersed with a few dance items and mimicries by the participants. The grand finale is scheduled for Saturday with final screening rounds for all contests.
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Kapurthala
Shalimar Bagh a picture of neglect Once the city’s pride, Shalimar Bagh at Kapurthala is a picture of neglect today due to the alleged step-motherly treatment meted out to it.
While Kamra Bagh, situated in the posh locality of the city, is well maintained by the municipal committee, the same authority has failed to maintain Shalimar Bagh. Shalimar Bagh was built by Maharaja Fateh Singh of Kapurthala. Incidentally, the offices of the municipal committee are housed in this garden. Though the residents of downtown Kapurthala prefer this garden for morning walk, the committee has converted it into a dumping ground of its garbage bins and other unused materials. The lawns in the garden are unkempt, and wild grass has grown there. These days rainwater can be seen accumulating on the roadsides due to the uneven surface. This stagnant water ultimately turns into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. “Instead of getting the feeling of fresh air here, one remains busy in protecting oneself from mosquitoes as soon as one enters the garden,” says Sant Shambhu Nath Shastri, a city resident. It also seems that no one is bothered about lifting cement and concrete leftovers here after the completion of repair work anywhere on the premises. Mounds of leftover concrete can be seen on the sides of the municipal committee office. In addition to it, rehriwalas have added to the woes of people who come to the garden for enjoying nature. Stray animals and traffic congestion, too, are dampeners. “We come here to sit in serenity and to enjoy nature, but this garden is losing its sheen due to the apathy of the municipal committee officials, as they are busy in maintaining the garden of sahibs rather than this garden where common people of the city come,” says Mr Haribudh Singh, a septuagenarian. Is anyone listening?
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